Average Joe
by Raiderette Levin
Summary: What would happen if Joe Hardy gave up crime-fighting and just lived a 'normal' life? Could he do it?
1. Chapter 1

**Note: I do not own the Hardy Boys characters or their friends, only any extra secondary characters I invent.**

**Chapter 1**

"Hello?"

21-year-old Frank Hardy picked up the phone.

"Hey Frank, it's me!"

Recognizing his brother's voice, Frank smiled. "Hey Joe. How's the college life?"

"Just be glad you didn't go."

"Homework overload?"

"More than you'd ever know."

Frank chuckled. "You get my letter?"

"Yeah. Thanks for the check."

"Sure thing." Frank sat in a chair and gazed at a picture of his wife-to-be that was hung on the fridge.

"I was wondering..." Joe began, "If you'd come up and visit me sometime."

"I was planning on it, but I've been really busy planning for the wedding and all... You're coming, right?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world, bro."

A grin spread across the older Hardy's face. He did miss his kid brother and was hoping to go up and visit, soon.

"You know, next week, the hotel here's having a special. I haven't looked into the details, but it seems like a good deal and--"

Frank caught Joe's hint. "Alright, alright. Let me check my calendar. Can you hold for a minute?"

"Sure thing."

Frank set the receiver on the counter and walked over to the opposite wall where his calendar hung. The seven squares of next week were blank, except for work, anyways. Frank figured he could get a few days off. Phil Cohen, a school chum of the Hardys, had opened his own business and hired on Frank. He was a fair boss, and usually forgiving when his employees took time off with little warning.

Frank wrote himself a reminder to call Phil about getting time off on a sticky note and posted it on the calendar. He then picked up the phone, again.

"Sounds great," Frank said. "I just need to see if I could get the time off work."

"Great!" Joe exclaimed. "I'll look in to that hotel deal for you!"

"Okay. Call you back."

"Later, bro."

Frank Hardy hung up the phone and dialed his boss. After discussing the vacation with him, Frank hung up and dialed Joe's dorm.

"Hello?"

"Hey Joe, I got the time off."

"Great. The deal's a good one at the hotel."

"Alright. Well, make me reservations, will ya? I'll be over on Monday."

"Will do, Frank, will do."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Frank!" Joe called as Frank got off the train.

Frank looked to the source of the voice and smiled. "Joe! How've ya been?" He rushed over to greet his brother.

"Great." Joe shook his brother's hand.

"Oh, come on!" Frank said, pulling his little brother in to a hug."What have you been up to?"

"Schooling." Joe lead Frank into the parking lot.

Frank laughed. "Of course."

Joe unlocked his car and both boys got in. "So Frank, you hungry?"

The older Hardy placed one hand on his stomach. "You had to ask?"

"Great! I know the perfect place!" Joe pulled out of the lot and onto the main drag. "I made you reservations at the hotel."

"Good. I won't have to worry about having to hide under the bed at your crazy dorm."

Joe laughed. "Aw, my roomates aren't so bad. I mean, Neil and Curtis are a little crazy, but Seth's not so bad."

Frank smiled. "I know. I was just teasing."

"Actually, Curtis has a brother that's about your age. His name's Al. He works at their family auto repair down by the college."

Frank nodded. "I take it you've had to bring your car in?"

"You know how tempermental this old station wagon can be."

"Yeah. But Dad really likes his new sports car."

"So do I." Joe pulled in to a stall at a drive-in restaraunt. "Well, take a look at the menu, Frank. I already know what I'm having."

"Just get me the same thing."

"You sure?"

"I know you, Hardy." Frank knew that Joe always ordered a cheeseburger with extra pickles, fries, and milkshake. In fact, that was what Frank usually ordered at burger shops, too.

A waitress on roller skates skated up to their car. She had short blonde hair and wore the work uniform of a white button-up T-shirt, short blue shorts, and a red necktie. She also wore a silver barrette and a big smile.

"Hi Joe!" She beamed. "What'll it be?" She raised her writing pad.

Frank looked to Joe and raised an eyebrow. He found something strange about the way she was acting around Joe.

"Hey Chris." Joe grinned. "We'll have two starfish-and-plankton burgers, two small orders of deep fried squid legs, and two anchovy shakes."

Frank nudged him, unamused by his joke. "Joe..."

"Oh! You must be Frank," Chris said, noticing Frank for the first time.

"That's me," Frank admitted. "And you are?"

"Chris Renoylds," The waitress replied. "I'm a friend of Joe's from the college."

"Girlfriend, you mean. I already asked you to go steady. Have you forgotten already?"

Chris blushed. "No..."

Girlfriend? Frank was utterly confused. Chris was Joe's girlfriend? What about the Iola he claimed he'd never forget?

Despite his discomfort with the situation, Frank replied, "Nice meeting you."

Chris smiled at him and then turned to Joe. "What'll you really be having?"

"Aw, just the usual. Two, this time."

Chris scribbled on her notepad and tucked it back in her shirt pocket. "I'll have that right out to you." She skated away to take their order to the kitchen.

Frank immediately turned to Joe. "Girlfriend, Joe? Girlfriend?"

"You don't like her?" Joe looked disappointed.

"Well, I don't know about that but--" Frank paused. He sighed and said quietly, "What about Iola?"

Joe turned away. He wished Frank wouldn't bring that up. Even now, three years later, he had still not completely gotten over her death.

"What about her?"

"I thought you still thought she was alive. It just seems like you're giving up on her."

"Frank... I-- I think it's time I get on with my life."

Frank nodded. "Okay... I just thought--"

"There's no reason I can't find happiness in my life just because I'll never be with Iola again..."

"I just wanted you to think about it. If Iola did come back, you know you'd have to choose, right?"

Joe nodded. He wished Frank wouldn't bring this up, now. He knew the tears he was trying so hard to hold back would only raise concern when Chris came back. Yes, he did love Iola, and he did hope she would come back, but after three years of nothing, he was beginning to lose hope that she was still alive.

"I know, Frank."

"You'd have to choose Chris or Iola?"

Joe nodded.

Frank sighed. "I'm sorry, Joe. I just don't want you to get hurt. I know if Iola came back, you'd choose her, and--" He paused. "I don't want you to hurt Chris, either."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

After lunch, Joe had dropped Frank off at the hotel to get settled while Joe did some homework. As promised, Joe had made Frank reservations.

"Good thing you made reservations," The man at the counter said. "We're all filled up."

"Really?"

"Yep. It's what happens when you have a good special." He handed Frank his key. "Here you go, kid. Room 225."

"Thank you." Frank accepted his key and walked over to the elevator. He pressed the 'up' button and waited patiently while the elevator made it's descent.

Ding! The elevator doors sprang open and a group of people poured out. Frank got in and pressed the second floor button. The doors began to close, but a slender hand was soon between them, causing the doors to bounce open.

A woman entered. She was a medium height and had brown hair that was pulled back in a bun. She smiled at Frank.

The doors closed, and the elevator began to move.

The woman opened her purse and began digging through it as though she was searching for something. Frank was sure to keep a close eye on her and to be prepared for anything.

"Oh no..." She groaned. The elevator doors opened and both she and Frank exited.

Frank asked, "Is something wrong, ma'am?"

"I hope not," She replied, approaching a nearby hotel door. She nobody answered, she knocked again, harder, this time. She groaned. "Don't do this to me..."

Turning to Frank, she asked, "Do you have a credit card?"

"Ma'am?"

"Or a library card, anything? I just need to jimmy the lock with it!"

"Don't you have a key?"

"That's the problem. I think I left it inside with my daughter, and I told her not to answer the door for anyone!" She mumbled, "I knew I shouldn't trust her alone."

"Maybe you should try the front desk?" Frank suggested. "They should either have a spare or a master key to help you with." Noticing his room was right across the hall, Frank asked, "Would you like me to call them for you? It would save you the trip."

The woman smiled. "Thank you. That would be very nice of you."

"Okay. Be right back." Frank, being sure he could still see the woman out of the corner of his eye, pulled the key out of his pocket and entered the room, closing the door behind him. He went over to the phone and dialed the front desk, requesting their service with helping the neighbor. After hanging up, Frank opened his door.

"Somebody's coming to help," He said.

"Thank you." There was a slight moment of silence, before the woman said, "Well, seeing as if we're neighbors, I'm Didi."

"Frank."

"Nice to meet you." Didi shook Frank's hand. "What brings you up this way?"

"I'm visiting my brother in college. And you?"

"I came to get my daughter." Seeing the confusion on Frank's face, she added, "It's a long story."

Frank nodded. "Well, enjoy your stay. Maybe I'll see you, later."

"Okay. Bu bye."

Frank closed his door and went over to the phone to call his fiancee. She wanted him to call her as soon as he got there to tell her he got in okay. Frank picked up the phone and dialed.

She answered on the third ring. "Hello?"

"Hi, Beverly, it's Frank."

"Oh, Frank! Good! I was beginning to worry about you! Was the ride over okay?"

Frank smiled. It was good to hear Beverly's voice, again. "Yeah. Perfect."

"How's Joe?"

Frank plopped down on the edge of his bed. "Pretty good, I think. He's got a new girlfriend, though. Her name's Chris."

Beverly gasped. "Really?"

"Yeah. Surprised me, too."

"That's so weird! I never thought--"

"Neither did I." Frank didn't want to discuss Chris. "So? How's the planning coming along?"

"Oh! Perfect! We sent out invitations, today!"

"Good." Looking to the clock, Frank said, "I gotta get going. Call you later?"

"I'll be waiting."

"Okay. Bye, Beverly. Love you."

"Love you, too." Click.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Frank felt like he had been waiting for an hour when Joe's station wagon finally pulled up in front of the hotel. Seeing that the front passenger's seat was full, he yanked open the back door and got in.

"Hey, Frank," His brother greeted with a grin. "Hope you weren't waiting too long."

"No. Wasn't too bad."

"Glad to hear it." Joe pulled onto the road.

"Joe?" It was the first time Chris had spoken all evening.

"Yeah?"

"Can I turn on the radio?"

"Go on ahead."

As Chris fiddled with the radio, Frank asked, "So? Did you get your homework done?"

"Yeah, finally," Joe responded with a laugh, "But I can tell you, it was _not _easy!"

"I believe it."

When Chris finally found a station she liked, she sank back in her seat, listening quietly to _the Beatles_.

"Pizza okay, Frank?" Joe asked, pulling into a lot outside of a pizza parlor.

"Gee whiz, Joe!" Frank laughed. "I haven't even been here for a day and you've already gotten me eating like a college kid!"

"Eh, you'll get used to it." Joe parked and killed the engine. "Well, let's go." The three young people exited the station wagon and entered the parlor.

"Okay with you if I order?" Joe asked Frank.

He shrugged. "Fine with me, as long as you don't pull any more anchovy jokes!"

Joe grinned. "Why don't you and Chris go get a table? I'll meet you there once the pizza's ordered."

"Um, okay. Come on, Chris." Frank walked over to a nearby booth and sat down. Chris followed and sat across from him.

"Nice to see you again," Frank greeted with a smile.

"Oh! You too! I've heard a lot about you from Joe."

"Good or bad?"

She giggled. "Well, truthfully, a little of both."

"I figured as much." Frank looked out the window.

"So? What do you do for a living?"

He jerked his face back towards Chris. "Oh. I uh-- Work for a small company and do some journalism in my spare time."

She nodded. "I see."

"And you?"

"I'm just a part-time waitress."

"Oh yeah. Down at the--"

"Rick's." She provided.

"Yeah."

Joe approached the booth and sat across from Chris. "They'll have it right out."

"Good. I'm famished." Frank said.

"So, Frank. Why don't you tell me a little bit about things back in Bayport?"

"Not much has changed, dear brother. You haven't been gone very long."

"I know," Joe replied. "Just thought I'd ask. How's Beverly?"

"Great."

"Who's Beverly?"

Joe answered his girlfriend. "Frank's fiancee. He's getting married, remember?"

"Oh yes. I remember, now. You showed me a picture."

Joe and his date were soon engulfed in conversation, leaving Frank bored. He looked around the parlor a bit and cringed at the overly 'pizza-themed' decor. He knew if Beverly was there, she would not be able to stand it.

The bells above the door jingled, and Frank jerked his head around to see who it was. He saw Didi entering with a dark-haired girl probably in her late teens to early twenties, and a dark-haired boy of about the same age. Didi spotted him and waved. Frank gave a slight wave back.

Joe, noticing Frank's wave said,"Man, Frank. First day here and you already know the locals?"

"She's just a woman I met at the hotel. Her name's Didi."

Joe grinned. "What would Beverly think?"

"Get off it, Joe. She's probably in her forties."

"I know. I was just just kidding. Why don't you invite her to sit with us?"

"I don't think I need to do that."

"Well, why not?"

A waiter came to their table, saving Frank from having to answer. "A large party pizza?"

"That's us." Joe responded, handing out the plates. "Thanks."

"Sure, dude." The waiter walked back to the kitchen.

"Okay, guys. Dig in."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

After rising the next morning, Frank quickly got dressed and headed down to the free brunch included with his hotel room. It was done buffet-syle, so Frank grabbed a plate and got in line. After he had filled his dish with things that looked at least somewhat appetizing, he sat at an empty table in the corner.

About halfway through his meal, Frank noticed somebody was walking over to him. He glanced up and noticed it was Didi, her daughter, and the boy Frank had seen at the pizza parlor.

"Hi, Frank," Didi greeted with a smile. "Mind if we sit with you?"

"No. Go ahead." Frank moved over to make more room. The three guests sat.

The daughter was smiling sweetly at Frank, and he could of sworn he'd seen her face before...

"Iola?" He breathed, in disbelief.

"No, no," Didi corrected him. "That's my daughter, Patty. The one that locked me out of the hotel, room?"

Patty looked sad. "I didn't mean to, mother, but you told me--"

Didi cut in with a laugh, "I know dear. It's alright."

Patty nodded and began to poke at her scrambled eggs.

Didi turned to Frank. "Good to see you again, Frank."

"You too, Didi."

The man that had come with Didi cleared his throat. Frank felt his cold, dark eyes watching him. "Pass the salt, please."

"Oh! Of course, honey!" Didi passed him the salt shaker.

"Thanks." He shook some of the substance on his hash browns.

"Frank? This is my son, Shawn."

"Nice to meet you, Shawn." Frank held out his hand. "I'm Frank Hardy."

Shawn didn't shake Frank's hand. He returned the greeting with a glare.

"So Frank? How's your brother?" Didi asked.

Frank, still feeling not quite right about that girl's identity as 'Patty', replied, "_Joe's_ doing alright." He looked to Patty for a reaction.

Patty froze for a moment and then continued eating her fruit salad.

_Strange,_ Frank thought. _Very strange._ "Have you been having a good time?"

"Yes. As I told you, I came for Patty."

"I see. Does she attend college here, too?"

"No," Didi admitted. "She was-- A missing person."

"Mother!" Patty whined.

"Oh, come now, Patty. He asked."

"Oh. I see." Missing person? Frank didn't know what to think of it.

"Yes," The mother smiled weakly. "She went missing about four years ago."

_About the same time Iola was killed,_ Frank thought. "I'm glad they found her."

"Me too." Didi looked lovingly at her daughter, tears brimmed her eyes.

"Four years..." Frank mused. "If you don't mind me asking, where were you all that time?"

"I--" Patty cast her eyes down, "Don't remember."

"Oh. I see."

"I didn't remember mother, either. Or Shawn."

"Oh." Frank sipped some orange juice. "Well, I'm glad they found you."

Patty smiled slightly. She neither said or did anything for a moment. Then suddenly standing up, she said, "I'm going back to the room."

"Patty, wait!" Didi called. "What's wrong, honey?"

Patty didn't answer. She fled from the dining nook.

"Excuse me," Didi apologized, standing up. She followed the young girl.

Frank turned his gaze to Shawn.

"What?" Shawn asked.

"How do you know it's her?"

"We don't know. At least I don't." He finished the last of the grapefruit juice from his cup. "She does look somewhat like Patty, but she doesn't act like her."

"What do you mean?"

"She doesn't remember us. It's like she has Patty's face and somebody else's memory." He stood. "She only remembers one person."

"Are they somebody Patty knew?"

Shawn shrugged. "I don't know. She refers to him as 'her darling.' She says she has a darling who loves her, but she doesn't know where he is." The young man paused and turned to Frank. "And that doesn't sound like Patty at all." With that, he left the room.

Frank sat there for a while, trying to make sense of what Shawn had said. _And that doesn't sound like Patty at all..._

Then maybe she wasn't Patty.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"Do you think she's Iola?"

"I don't know, Beverly," Frank admitted. "But she looked exactly like her and she doesn't remember anything about her identity..."

"Why not have Joe see her. He would now if--"

Frank cut her off. "No, Beverly. I can't do that. He's finally decided to move on and..." His voice trailed off. "Who am I kidding? There's no possible way she could be alive. Being down here's really wearing off on me. Now I'm beginning to even sound like Joe!"

"Frank Hardy! Think of what you're saying!" Frank knew that tone. He had somehow made Beverly angry.

"Beverly, listen. That explosion would have blown Iola to pieces! There's no way that--"

"I'm hanging up."

"Wait! Beverly!" Frank pleaded.

"What is it?" She spat back, tartly.

He breathed in a deep sigh. "Iola's dead."

"But Joe believes in his heart that she's still out there somewhere--"

"There's no way she could be alive."

"Okay," Beverly's tone seethed with anger. "Next time you disappear on a case, I won't even worry!"

"Now wait a minute--" He was too late. She had already hung up. "Beverly!" Frank slammed the phone back in its cradle and sat on the edge of the bed.

Who was he kidding? Iola was dead. She had been for over four years. There was no way she was coming back, and everybody would have to get used to that. No amount of wishing was going to bring her back.

He stood up and jammed his coat on. He was supposed to meet Joe for lunch and was probably already late. After stuffing his feet in his sneakers, he sauntered out the door, accidentally colliding with someone in the hall.

"Oh! Excuse me!" Frank apologized. Once he had regained his balance, he noticed who it was. "Patty? What are you doing out here alone?"

"I've got to find him!"

"Who?" Frank was truly perplexed by her response.

"My darling! I've _got_ to find him!"

"Who?" Frank asked again.

"He said he'd come back for me!" Patty looked urgently to Frank. "How will he know where to find me?"

Deciding to play along, Frank said, "What does he look like? I'll help you look for him."

Patty looked to her shoes. "I don't know," She said, softly.

"Then how will you know where to find him?"

The girl shrugged and then looked to Frank."But I've got to find him!"

Frank nodded. "Okay." He paused for a moment, pondering what to do next. "Well, why don't you go back inside, and once you remember something about him, come find me, okay?"

She nodded. "Okay."

"Good."

She turned and knocked on the door. Shawn opened it and led her inside. Once Frank saw she had gotten in okay, he walked down to the front of the hotel.

Joe's station wagon was waiting. Frank approached it and got in the back seat.

"It's about time!" Joe exclaimed. "I was just telling Chris that maybe you got your coat stuck in a door."

"Yeah, well, I'm here, now," Frank replied, unamused by his brother's joke.

"But really Frank, what took you so long?"

"It's nothing." Frank looked out the window, wishing Joe would just leave him alone. Somewhere in the back of his mind, one word kept echoing over and over. Iola... Maybe he'd investigate it in the morning.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

"Frank! There you are!" Frank recognized the voice of Didi as he exited his hotel room the next morning.

"Oh. Hi Didi. What's up?" The Hardy smiled.

"Patty, Shawn and I were just--"

Suddenly, Patty barged out of her hotel room and ran to Frank. "Frank! Oh Frank!" She threw her arms around him.

Confused, but striving to be as polite as possible, Frank replied, "Patty? Is something wrong?"

"I remembered!"

"Remembered what?"

Didi gave Frank a strange look. He replied only with a weak smile.

"Him," She sighed.

Didi cut in. "Who, Patty? Who is this all about?"

"Oh, Mom! Frank! He's-- I never would have imagined! He's-- He's--"

"Who's he? What are you talking about?" Didi asked in an urgent tone.

Ignoring Didi, Frank said,"He's what, Patty?"

"He's--" Patty broke away from Frank, smiling and giggling. She hugged herself in delight. "Blonde!"

Frank raised an eyebrow. "He's blonde? That's it?" Based upon her reaction, Frank was expecting her to remember much more than just a hair color.

Patty nodded. "Oh! He's blonde! Can you believe it?"

Didi crossed her arms. "Who's blonde? Who Patty? What on earth are you talking about?"

"Oh Mother!" Patty flung her arms around her mother. "He's waiting for me! I just know it!"

"Who?" The concerned mother looked to Frank for an answer.

"Him, mother! Don't you remember him? Surely you must if I do!" The smiling girl looked up to her mother.

Didi looked to her daughter, her eyes rapidly reddening with sorrow. She replied quietly, "No Patty. I have no idea what you're talking about."

Patty's smile faded. "You don't?"

"No." A tear slid down Didi's cheek.

"Oh, Mother! I thought surely--"

"There you are!"

"Joe?!" Frank turned, utterly puzzled, to the sound of the voice he had just heard. Sure enough, there was his brother, holding hands with Chris.

Joe grinned. "We were wondering what had happened to you." Suddenly aware of the situation, Joe asked, "What's going on here?" His eyes wandered over Frank and Didi and finally, stopping on Patty. Joe's eyes widened in disbelief and he let go of Chris' hand. "Iola?"

Drat! Frank wanted to slap himself for causing such a mess. Joe had thought the exact same thing he had about Patty. It was only a matter of time before the younger Hardy would start an investigation.

"Iola?" Joe repeated, advancing towards the girl.

Alarmed by his mesmerized state, Chris called out, "Joe?"

But Joe did not stop. He ran to Patty, throwing his arms around her.

"Joe!" Chris cried. She advanced toward her boyfriend, but Frank held her back. She looked up, alarmed. "Frank!"

"I told him this would happen," Frank told her. "Listen to me. There's nothing you can do. You'll have to let him go."

"But why? Who is this girl?" Chris looked sadly up at Frank.

Frank avoided her gaze. "Didn't he ever tell you about Iola?"


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"You don't think I hurt her, do you?" Joe was sitting in a chair in Frank's hotel room.

"No. I know you did." Frank looked right to his brother.

Joe broke eye contact. "Oh."

"Didn't I tell you this was going to happen?" The older Hardy crossed his arms.

Joe nodded, slowly.

"And we have no reason to believe she's--"

"Frank. I know."

"Oh? And how do you know?"

Joe looked up at Frank's angry stare and sighed. "It's gotta be her, Frank. From what you told me, everything lines up and--" He returned his gaze to the floor. "Only Iola can make me feel this way."

"What way? You just hurt your steady date's feelings!"

"And I'll apologize, but you've gotta understand!" Joe stood. "I am going to prove to you she's Iola!"

"And how are you going to do that?"

"I don't know," The younger brother admitted. "But it's something I've gotta do."

"And what are you going to do if she's not Iola?" Frank turned to Joe. "It's not fair of you to ask Chris back."

"I know."

"So you're either gonna have to forget Patty, or forget Chris."

"I don't know if I can do that, Frank," Joe said softly. "I really like Chris, but Iola means the world to me."

"Well, you can't have both."

Joe nodded. "I don't like having to choose. I can't choose."

Frank sighed and placed a hand on his brother's shoulders. "Remember when you told me you were going to get on with your life and Chris was your first step? I think it's time you get on with it."

"But Frank--"

"It's part of growing up, Joe. You're not seventeen anymore and maybe it's time you dated new people. I never knew how wrong Callie was for me until I dated Beverly."

"But Frank, I can't forget Iola. I still love her."


	9. Chapter 9

The next day, Joe went to Frank's hotel to see the Iola-girl and her family. It was his first step in finding out if the girl they called Patty was Iola.

Joe had given what Frank had said into consideration and came to an agreement. He would continue to date Chris, but the minute he found solid evidence that Patty was Iola, he would have to see if she wanted him back. And if Iola didn't want him, he would accept it and stay with Chris. At least, he hoped he could accept such news.

When Joe was outside Patty's room, he glanced behind him, quickly, just to make sure Frank wasn't about to come out any time soon. When he decided the coast was clear, he knocked.

Joe waited for a while and was about to lft his hand to knock again when the door creaked open.

"Hello?" Didi asked.

"Hi. Ma'am. I'm Joe Hardy."

"Yes. I believe we've met." She narrowed her eyes, as if remembering the previous day when Joe had acted out of emotion and embraced her supposed daughter.

"I was hoping I could talk to you..."

Didi stepped out, closing the door behind her. "What is it?"

"Look, I'm sorry about yesterday, but there's just something I've got to know!"

"Which is?"

"Patty. Now look, before you start criticizing me, I've gotta tell you why!"

Didi crossed her arms. "I'm listening."

"Tell me about Patty."

"What about her?" The mother looked away.

"When she went missing."

Didi looked to the ceiling, recalling the events. "It was four years ago. She was walking home from a friend's house and..." Her voice trailed off.

"And you reported it."

She nodded. "There were no signs of her for four years, and then--She shows up out of nowhere! Completely lost and confused!" Tears leaked out of her eyes.

Joe nodded in understanding. "And you're sure she's Patty?"

"No. I'm not sure. I just hope she is--" She broke into sobs.

"Now Didi,that's what I wanted to talk to you about..."

"What?"

Joe lead the grieving mother over to a nearby bench and sat down with her.

"Four years ago, I lost my girlfriend to a car bombing."

"I'm sorry." Didi sniffed.

"But that's the thing! I don't think she's dead!"

"And you think--?"

"I think Patty looks an awful lot like her. And since she doesn't remember anything--"

"She's Patty!" Didi refuted. "She has to be!"

"And I wish I could say that, but it seems that both you and Shawn have doubts. Tell me, when you found her, what did she remember?"

Didi sniffed and tried to regain her composure. "That she has a darling who loves her and who's coming back for her."

"Anything else?"

She shook her head.

"But he -- whoever he is --has been first on her list ever since!"

"So she's trying to find him?"

"No. She says he's coming back for her. She says she's afraid to leave the area, just in case he comes back for her!"

Strange. "Hm. And you have no idea who he is?"

"No."

"Well," Joe gave her a quick one-armed hug. "Thanks."

"Sure."

"I'd like to help you figure out if she's Patty or not."

"Whatever," Didi replied. "Just don't bother Patty about it."

"But what if--?"

"Don't."

Joe sighed. "Alright. I'm sorry. Thanks again."

Didi nodded.

Joe went off to work on some homework.


	10. Chapter 10

Frank Hardy sat alone in a booth, hoping that Chris would be his waitress. Even though it was really Joe's job, he knew he had to explain some things to her. After yesterday, he wasn't about to do Joe any favors, but thinking back on how hurt Chris had been, he just knew he had to tell her.

A roller-skating waitress approached his table. "Welcome to--" She gasped when she saw Frank.

Frank, knowing very well who it was, looked up and smiled. "Hi Chris."

"Um, I-- I gotta go--" She tried to skate off, but Frank grabbed on to her wrist.

"Come on, Chris. Sit down. I have some very important things to tell you."

Chris looked hesitantly towards the kitchen, and then slid in to the booth across from Frank. "This is about Joe, isn't it?"

Frank nodded. "Chris... There are some things I think you should know about my kid brother that I surely thought he would have told you..."

"Is this about Lola?"

"Iola," Frank corrected her. "And yes."

The blonde waitress looked to the Hardy. "Who is she, Frank? And why did Joe--?"

"Hold on. I'm getting there." Frank repositioned and leaned forward to whisper, "Iola was Joe's girlfriend in high school. She was killed in a bombing four years ago."

Chris frowned and her brown eyes filled with concern. "That's awful!"

"But Joe doesn't believe she's dead!"

"Could there be any way that she isn't?"

Frank shook his head. "It's a very small chance, if any."

She bit her lip as she thought for a while, then said, "Does that mean I shouldn't expect to see Joe anymore?"

"No, no! It doesn't mean that!" Chris was missing the whole point. "Why, you're the best thing that's happened to Joe in years!"

"But if Joe's still looking for Lola, there's no reason I should interfere."

"Iola," Frank said. "And Chris, really. Joe does like you, he's just very -- confused right now."

"There's no reason for me to confuse him further." Chris slid out of the booth and stood. "I don't want to give up, yet, I love Joe. But there's no reason for me to stay if Joe doesn't love me."

"Chris, please," Frank begged. "Joe loves you."

"Then I want to hear it from Joe." She added quietly before skating off, "I just want him to be happy."

Frank watched her skate off towards the kitchen and let out a long sigh. If only Joe could make up his mind! If Patty ended up not being Iola, he would have lost her, and maybe Chris, too. It was time the younger Hardy got things straightened out. A lot of people were waiting on him.


	11. Chapter 11

**Note: At long last, here's the next installment! I'd like to send out a huge thank you to all of my readers and all of you that added me to your favorites and alerts! :D Enjoy!**

Joe Hardy dropped his pencil and groaned. He couldn't concentrate on his homework. Actually, he had been finding it hard to concentrate on _anything _lately. All he could think about was Patty and Iola…Or maybe he should be saying Iola. She had to be Iola, he was sure of it! Didi may not have been sure if she was Patty or not, but Joe just _knew_that the mystery girl was Iola.

Now if he could only get Didi to agree to let him talk to her!

Or maybe he could do so without Didi even knowing.

A sly smile swept across Joe's lips and ideas began to brew inside his mind. Maybe he could convince Patty to go out sight-seeing with him. That way, Didi couldn't object to Joe being alone with Patty, right? It was at least worth a try.

Joe swiftly left his dorm and raced to Frank's hotel. He rushed up to Didi's room and knocked.

"Hello?" Shawn answered.

"Hi," Joe greeted. "Is your sister available?"

Shawn stepped out into the hall, closing the door behind him, and crossed his arms. Joe felt nervous.

"Listen, Man," Shawn began, "I don't know what your problem is, but you need to stop buggin' around my sister."

"I'm not trying to bug anybody; I just wanted to talk to Patty-"

"Look Buster. Patty's confused as it is. We don't need some weirdo bugging her and-"

He was interrupted by Patty, who was now standing in the doorway. "Shawn? It's okay. I want to talk to Joe."


	12. Chapter 12

Author's Note: At long last, here's the next installment! If you're a new reader, welcome! If you're a past reader, Welcome back, enjoy, and I admire you for hanging on to my story this long—thanks a million! I partly owe this current lifting of my severe case of writer's block and inspiration to the Buckinghams' "And Our Love" from their "Times And Changes" album. Well, enjoy, and as always, your feedback is important to me. It's great to be back. :D

Joe couldn't believe he was actually being given the chance to talk to Patty, and better yet, it was because she wanted to talk to him. They went down to a small café nearby and sat at an indoor table, sipping hot cocoa.

"Joe, I have to talk to you because, well…" Patty looked down at her hands and breathed a large sigh. "You're the only one that listens to me. Really listens to me, I mean. Didi listens but…"

Joe raised an eyebrow. "Didi? I thought she was your mother."

"Well, she thinks she is, but Joe… I don't think I'm Patty."

Joe's heart soared and crashed at the same time. It was both terrible and wonderful to have Patty doubt her identity. It could mean that he was right, and she was Iola, but it could also mean that Frank was right, and Iola was… He didn't even want to consider that. He was going to listen to Patty and help her in any way he could.

"Go on."

She looked to him. "I don't know, it's just… It's this feeling I get, you know? At first, I believed that I was Patty; all I could remember was, well my Darling, but… as all of this time's gone on, I can't help but feel that I'm not who Didi thinks I am."

Joe asked, "Is there anything specific that makes you feel like this?"

"It feels like I remember little things every day… I remember things about him and things we did. I remembered liking the Beatles. I heard a song on the radio today, and I remembered hearing it long ago. It seems like no matter how much I remember, it's not about Shawn or Didi." Patty looked back to the table and shook her head.

If she was Iola, she could have remembered something she did with Joe. Iola had liked the Beatles, of course so did millions of other females, but many people their age liked more modern music. He prodded, "What sorts of things do you remember about him?"

She sort of smiled and looked up the ceiling, recollecting her memories. "I got an 'F' on my chemistry exam and was crying like a baby… He was telling me not to worry about it, comforting me. And then he starting singing "And Your Bird Can Sing", you know, by the Beatles, but he was changing the lyrics... And I started laughing so hard that I forgot all about the test." She was king of laughing, kind of crying, as if recalling the memory was painful.

Joe felt very much the same way. That happened to he and Iola. But surely, with the other millions of students in the U.S., he wasn't necessarily the only one.

Reaching up a finger, she wiped a tear from her eye and continued. "Once we went roller skating, and I fell on my tailbone…" She started to laugh. "Oh, it hurt. And he rushed over, all worried, acting like a mother hen… And…" by that point, Joe couldn't tell if she was laughing or crying.

"And once we went to a drive-in movie, and he was getting too close and I… I slapped him."

Iola had slapped Joe at a drive-in, but he'd heard the same story millions of times in the school locker room.

"Oh, Joe…" Patty looked to him, eyes filled with tears. "I wish I remembered more. I wish I knew who he was. Oh… I'd do anything to have him back again. I'd do anything to have _me_ back again. I'm tired of being confused and doubted…"

Joe reached across the table, placing a comforting hand on top of hers. "I'll do anything I can to help."


	13. Chapter 13

"Hello, Beverly?" Frank Hardy sat in his hotel room on the phone. He needed somebody levelheaded to talk to. He hoped that Beverly was no longer upset with him. "I know you're upset with me, but can we talk?"

"What's on your mind?" Beverly's tone was a lot nicer than it had been last time he had spoken with her. Maybe she was no longer angry?

"Joe." He sighed. "Now, I know that the last thing you want to hear about is the next crazy thing my crazy brother is doing, but…" He shook his head. This was definitely coming out all wrong. "Beverly? I think I'm going crazy."

"What? Why?" She almost laughed. Frank thought he surely must have sounded ridiculous to her, but he didn't know how else to put it.

"Remember that girl I told you about?" Frank began to twirl the phone's cord around his finger.

"Yes?"

"I think she's Iola."

Frank immediately slapped his hand to his forehead. Boy, did he sound like a nut! What was he thinking?

Beverly was silent.

"Beverly?"

"What makes you feel that way?"

"I don't know… There's something about her. She really kind of sounds like Iola and…" He kind of laughed, "This is really crazy, but she even _dresses _like Iola!"

"Frank, I wish I could tell you one way or the other, but all I can say is… Maybe she is Iola." She paused again. "You two Hardys have solved so many cases together, what's to say you can't solve this?"

"That's it!" Frank shot to his feet. Instead of working together, he had Joe had been working against each other the whole time. Maybe if they worked toward the same goal, they would be able to get something accomplished!

"What's it?"

"You've put this all in perspective for me Beverly. Thanks a lot. I'll talk to you later!" Frank hung up the phone, feeling good. He had to find Joe and tell him that he was on his side, now. The worst that could happen was that Patty was just Patty. And somehow Frank felt he didn't need to worry about that.


End file.
